This invention is directed to a material which is useful for veneerable dentures having a metallic matrix.
Metallic, veneerable dentures are produced with the lost-wax-method using alloys with a high noble metal content. These alloys have good processability and have an outstanding biocompatibility. However, these alloys are expensive so that in recent years there have been developed alloys having reduced gold and platinum contents and increasing additives of palladium and non-noble metals. These alloys, however, are frequently difficult to process, especially in regard to the melting and casting behavior and solderability. There are likewise used base metal alloys for metallic dentures, but such alloys are even more difficult to process. To veneer these alloys with ceramic, they must be preoxidized in a suitable manner in order to get good adherence of the ceramic to the alloy. Thereby there is not always obtained an optimum oxide layer so that frequently adherence problems occur.
From German OS 3135034 (and related Heidsiek U.S. Pat. No. 4,476,090, the entire disclosure of the Heidsiek U.S. patent being hereby incorporated by reference and relied upon), there is known a material for jewelry and commodities which consist of noble metal with 1 to 70 vol. % glass which must have a transformation temperature of 300.degree. to 500.degree. C. Such materials are not useful as dentures because deformation occurs during the ceramic baking which deteriorates the fit of the denture.
Therefore, it was the problem of the present invention to develop a material for faceable dentures with a metallic matrix which is cheaper than high noble metal containing alloys, which can be processed without problem and which in any case of necessity can be faced reliably and easily with ceramic or synthetic resin.